(Oct. 27, 2021, 10:25 a.m.) -- After a Facebook dispatch (followed by over 100 comments) first reported it, and a day after LBREPORT.com (pursuing the story after making multiple phone calls not returned) filed Public Records Act requests with Signal Hill city management, the Signal Hill Police Department this morning (Oct. 27) emailed the following release (carrying the date Oct. 26).

The release indicates that "a large group of people were inside the store and stealing unspecified items" and the "large group consisted of a group of bicyclists" who allegedly stole an estimated $300-$400 in merchandise "including alcoholic beverages"...without any arrests being made.

On Sunday, October 24, 2021, at approximately 1350 hours, a Signal Hill Police Officer notified dispatch there was a group of 200-300 bicyclists in the area of Willow Street and Town Center West, obstructing traffic while traveling westbound through the Food-4-Less parking lot, located at 1600 E. Willow Street. He requested the help of additional officers to monitor the group’s movements in the area to ensure they were not creating additional traffic hazards.

Several minutes later, at approximately 1355 hours, the Signal Hill Police Department received a call from a Food-4-Less employee that a large group of people were inside the store and stealing unspecified items. The dispatcher confirmed with the employee the large group consisted of a group of bicyclists. On behalf of the business, the employee asked for the officers to tell the subjects to leave their property.

Signal Hill Police Officers used their public announcement systems to advise the large group they needed to leave the private property. They were also advised to follow the rules of the road. The officers stayed in the area to ensure the large group left the area safely. The Signal Hill Police Department is in communication with the Food-4-Less Management Team regarding this incident. Food-4-Less has estimated their loss to be between $300-$400, some of which includes alcoholic beverages. The Food-4-Less Loss Prevention team is working with the Signal Hill Police Department regarding situations like these.

SHPD's daily Calls For Service report (which lists all the calls the Signal Hill Police Department received and entered into the Computer Aided Dispatch system during the 24 hour period specified from midnight to midnight) displays the incident as follows:

Below is the dispatch by a woman who first posted the Facebook dispatch on Crime Watch of Long Beach, a private page:

Food for Less and Kroger (parent company) didn't respond to LBREPORT.com's telephone inquiries.